


It Was Your Hazel Eyes

by Lesbian_potato



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types, Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Genre: Betrayal, Detective AU, Don't worry they get a happy ending, Eventual Sorta Smut, F/F, Fluff, Italian Mafia, Lesbian Romance, Modern AU, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance, Slow Burn, i like happy endings, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-06-17 01:22:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 19,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15450246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lesbian_potato/pseuds/Lesbian_potato
Summary: Detective AU - Kassandra is a modern-day New York private detective looking into the Gambino crime family. Kyra is the girlfriend of mob boss Thaletas, who is the current leader of the Gambino crime family. Kyra is ordered to follow Kassandra's investigation. Kassandra involves Kyra into her investigation, asking her to infiltrate the Gambino family as a spy.





	1. First Encounters

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! Thanks for reading. This is my first fanfiction, so let me know what you think. I don't own these characters, I just think they are fantastic. They were so fun to write! Anyway, I will try to update at least once a week. I know the chapters aren't very long, but I feel that I make up for that with a steady export of updates. Anyway, hope you enjoy reading!

The first time Kyra saw the detective’s face, it was on a grainy photograph on a steel table surrounded by bunch of files and documents. Despite the quality of the photo, Kyra could tell that the woman was very attractive.

“I’ve heard of this woman. Kassandra, yes? She’s investigated other crime families.” Kyra noted. Thaletas, her boyfriend and the mob boss of the Gambino family, nodded.

“Yes, and from what we’ve heard, she’s looking into us next.” Kyra turned to face Thaletas and sighed, “I assume you’re going to do something about her?”

Thaletas shrugged and then nodded again, “Something like that. I’d like you to personally lead this one up. You are arguably our best infiltrator and,” Thaletas moved to place his hands on either side of her arms, “I trust you.” Kyra smiled.

“Alright, where can I find her?”

A few hours later, Kyra was trailing Kassandra through the busy streets of Manhattan. Kyra dodged yet another woman walking in the opposite direction, trying to keep her eyes focused on the detective. The further she walked, however, the more Kyra began to appreciate the other woman. Even though Kyra could only see her backside (it was a very nice one if Kyra was being honest with herself), Kyra could see that Kassandra was very muscular, yet also possessed a grace about her movements that indicated she could handle herself well in a fight. This startled Kyra and put her even more on edge. Kassandra was not like other detectives, and she would have to be very careful.

Suddenly, Kassandra sharply turned into an alleyway. Without thinking, Kyra followed, anxious not to lose sight of the detective. Kyra only saw the darkness of the alleyway before she heard footsteps behind her.

“Why are you following me?”

_Shit_ , Kyra thought. She turned around to face the detective.

When Kyra’s elegant brown eyes met Kassandra’s soulful hazel ones, they both could not form words, for each was admiring what they saw, unaware of what this might implicate. Kyra took in the flawless tan skin, cute button nose, and perfectly set eyebrows. Her luscious brown hair was fashioned in a side braid and she stood staring at Kyra with her arms crossed. Her leather jacket and dark jeans emitted a kind of dangerous air about her. _Oh, she looks so much better from the front,_ Kyra admired. Kassandra was the first to shake from the odd moment.

“Why are you following me?” Kassandra asked again with a thick accent. Kyra had not noticed because she herself spoke with one, but hers sounded familiar, distinctly Greek.

“So, you noticed.” Kyra stated with a calm smirk and a raised eyebrow, adopting a more relaxed stance.

The corners of Kassandra’s mouth twitched to smirk back, but she wouldn’t allow it to happen. Even so, Kassandra was never one to shy away from a challenge, and this woman, though subtle about it, was giving her one.

“Kind of hard not to notice someone like you tailing me.” Kyra’s eyes widened slightly at the comment, then approached the subject lightly, still trying to maintain a calm air, “Someone like me?”

Kassandra should’ve been expecting the question, but instead it caught her off guard. Kyra took that opportunity to quickly pull out a knife, pressing it to Kassandra’s throat.

“I ask you again detective,” Kyra said, her voice lower and the meaning behind her question very clear, “what you mean by ‘someone like me’?” Kassandra was breathing hard. She cursed herself for getting distracted, yet she could feel the other woman’s breath on her face, making her heart beat faster for some unknown reason.

“Distracting.” Kassandra answered simply, her eyes never leaving her captors. Kyra was swept away once again by those hazel eyes.

In her moment of hesitation, Kassandra grabbed hold of the knife, flipped the woman, pressed her to the wall of the alley, and held the knife to her throat in a reversal of positions. Surprisingly, the woman didn’t seem to mind. Kyra was pleasantly surprised by the strength of the other woman (and maybe slightly turned on), though she would never admit it. Kyra could feel the heat radiating from the other woman as Kassandra’s body trapped Kyra’s beneath her.

“Could say the same about you.” Kyra finally found her voice. Kassandra narrowed her eyes.

“Your accent… you are Greek?” Kassandra asked curiously. Kyra simply possessed a look of intrigue before she nodded her head, “I assume you are as well?” Kassandra was bothered by how much the other woman’s smirk was getting to her. Kyra seemed to notice and tilted her head ever so slightly.

“That’s not important. What is important is that you tell me your name and who you work for.” Kassandra’s eyes became steely as she added, “And I wouldn’t bother lying.”

Kyra recognized the seriousness of her tone and the deadly promise underneath. She shivered under that gaze, hoping it was just because she was terrified.

“My name is Kyra, and you are the famous Kassandra, detective extrodinare.” She emphasized the last word with an underlining hint of derision. Kassandra grew even more suspicious, “How do you know who I am?” Kyra slowly shook her head, the faint smirk never leaving her face, “That’s a secret.” Kassandra slightly added more pressure to the knife against her throat, “I can claim self defense right now Kyra,” Kyra loved how her name sounded from the detective’s lips (no she didn’t, she couldn’t), “which means you should probably stop with the chit-chat.” Kyra rolled her eyes.

“Alright detective. Come closer and I’ll tell you.” Kyra grinned wolfishly. Kassandra narrowed her eyes before deciding to restrain Kyra’s hands above her head. She did not resist the action but seemed to frustratingly enjoy it. Kassandra slowly and cautiously lowered her ear closer to Kyra’s mouth to hear her words. Kyra inhaled sharply before softly whispering, “Google.” She then blew in her ear, causing Kassandra to hastily retreat from the woman, releasing her hold while still directing the knife at her. Kyra began to laugh heartily, and Kassandra’s cheeks tinged pink from embarrassment.

“Yes, very funny.” Annoyance swelled up within Kassandra as she willed her cheeks to return to their natural color. Kyra’s laughter began to die down and she turned to Kassandra with a playful, pitying look, “Okay detective, I’ve had my fun. I’m a mercenary hired by The Westies to follow your investigation into the Gambino family.” Kyra was lying, of course. She couldn’t have the detective knowing who she actually worked for; Thaletas would kill her, girlfriend or not.

Confusion could be seen clearly on Kassandra’s face, “The Westies? As in the Irish mob?” Kyra nodded her head, “They want intel on the Gambino family just as much as you do, being rivals and all.”

Kassandra did not trust the woman, attractive as she may have been, Kassandra knew Kyra was hiding something. She knew that Kyra was not going to leave her or her investigation alone, so she decided to use it to her advantage. After all, Kassandra heard her enemies were best kept close.

“You’re not going to leave me alone, are you?” Kyra smiled and shook her head, “No can-do, detective. The Westies are not going to give me my money empty-handed.”

“Then help me with my investigation.”

A stunned silence followed Kassandra’s suggestion, Kyra staring at her with her mouth agape. She then scoffed in amusement, “Are you being serious?” Kassandra shrugged her shoulders in response, “Why not? You’re going to continue shadowing me, might as well keep you close to keep an eye on you.” Kyra couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She had never expected Kassandra to invite her into her investigation, but the more she considered it, the more it made sense. Shaking her head in disbelief, Kyra replied, “Alright, how can I help?”

With a trademark simper and a sense that felt like victory, Kassandra said, “I want you to infiltrate the Gambino family and act as my inside woman.” Kyra could not hide her surprise. She didn’t know whether to be grateful or fearful of the task she asked of, but Kyra decided that this made things easier for her and her employers. Kyra knew Kassandra herself could not pose as a possible associate, as she was a well-recognized investigative figure in New York. She pretended to think it over before agreeing. Kassandra held out her hand, her agitatingly attractive smile still present on her face. Kyra shook it and noticed the warmth that ran through her at the other woman’s touch.

“Let me give you my card.” Kassandra pulled out a business card advertising her investigative expertise and her phone number and handed it to Kyra, “Give me a call when you’re ready.” With that, Kassandra sauntered out of the alley with a wink and wave.

Kyra looked down at the card in her hand, eyeballing the name printed across the front. “Kassandra…” Kyra grinned towards where the detective had made her exit, “you may have just made the biggest mistake of your life.”


	2. Unwanted Thoughts

“She really let you in, just like that?” Thaletas asked. Kyra nodded her head, “Just like that. Wants me to pose as some sort of recruit to gain trust and access to intel and resources I suppose.”

              Thaletas and Kyra were in their private quarters, discussing the events of the day. Thaletas was changing into another of his suits for a business meeting he had later in the evening while Kyra was reciting the incident of her day. He exited the walk-in closet, in the process of buttoning up the cuffs of his white button down.

“Quick thinking on the background cover Kyra. While I’m not happy that you were caught tailing her, it’s good that it turned out the way it did.” He then began to focus on the task of buttoning up his shirt. Kyra sighed, “Yes, I am too, but there’s something off about it. It’s like she knows I’m hiding something.” Kyra’s brows furrowed in concentration as she recalled the confident aura that Kassandra possessed, as if she could see right into Kyra’s soul.

“I’m sure you’re just paranoid. You’re a good liar Kyra, it’s why the family accepted you in the first place.” Thaletas approached Kyra and placed a hand firmly on her bicep. Kyra thought the grip was a little too strong and possessive.

“I need you to do this for me, for the family. Gain her trust and feed her whatever we want her to know.” Kyra sighed. While she was confident she could keep up the charade, her obvious feelings for the other woman were concerning to her. She had never felt such attachment so quickly, if truly at all. Thaletas loosened his grip on her slightly, pleading, “Please? Do it for me?” Kyra looked up at Thaletas, the man she once thought she loved, and murmured, “Alright, I’ll do it.” Thaletas smiled, “That’s my girl.” He returned to the closet to put on the black tuxedo jacket he was wearing for the night.

“I’ll be back late.” He said as he looked at his reflection in the mirror, “Let me know how it goes tomorrow.” With that, Thaletas was out the door.

               Kyra sighed at the door. Despite not being that late, she was tired. She dragged herself into the very large and lavishly decorated bathroom. Living with Thaletas had its perks, but lately perks were all he seemed to offer. It wasn’t that he didn’t have time; that much didn’t bother her. No, it was his distant attitude that had her on edge. It was this sense that he was beginning to grow disinterested in her. The worse part was, she wasn’t devastated at all like she thought she needed to be. Rather, she had begun to feel agitated at his presence, something she knew one should not feel so early in the relationship. Even though she had been associated with the Gambino family for most of her life, she had only started to see Thaletas a year and a half ago.

               Kyra ran a hand over her face, noticing the slight bruising visible on her neck. She cursed, knowing she’d have to cover it up before trying to meet with Kassandra the next day. Scared of what she might find, she slowly rolled up the sleeves of her nightshirt. Five distinguishable marks could be seen on her arm where Thaletas had gripped her, seeming to grow darker the longer she studied it. Kyra wondered if she was supposed to cry in situations like this when someone realizes their boyfriend might be abusive. Kyra didn’t have enough energy to cry, she had done enough of that when her mother died. After a warm shower in an attempt to soothe her achy muscles, Kyra put on a shirt and underwear and crawled into the soft king-sized bed. She didn’t even remember the moment her head hit the pillow.

_Kyra didn’t know where she was, but wherever it was, she was enjoying it immensely. She could feel a warmth around her, one that she had never felt before, but one she imagined might come from a feeling like love. But that was silly, such a feeling was foolish to even consider. Yet she was experiencing something so clear in its intentions, so pure. The room, if it could be called that, was dark. From nowhere, she felt hands on her hips. They were soft and cautious of how they held Kyra. Kyra was sure she had never felt these hands on her body before, but they felt so familiar that she began to doubt that first assumption. For some odd reason, Kyra could not look down to see the hands, but she could feel them. Oh, could she feel them. With the gentlest pressure she’d ever felt, Kyra was pulled back into a_ very _strong body. She could hear herself sigh softly at the action. She still had no idea who was behind her, but whoever it was had her very heated. The hands pressed harder onto her, but it was more comforting than anything, certainly not enough to bruise her body. It felt more like desperation, as if the person behind her was trying their hardest to hold back. She felt soft lips lightly press to her ear, an exhale sending shivers down her spine. She knew exactly who it was the moment she heard that sultry Greek accent, “Kyra…”._

_Kyra’s eyes widened, and she turned around, pushed her away, and met Kassandra’s blown, hazel eyes. They were trained on Kyra with such a hunger that Kyra felt a ripple of desire despite herself._

_“You…?” Kyra wondered aloud. A slow smirk formed on Kassandra’s lips, “Kyra, there’s something here. I feel it, don’t you?” Kassandra tilted her head and seemed to peer into Kyra’s soul so easily, as if able to read the woman at a glance._

_“There’s no way this is real. I just met you for God’s sake!” Kyra shook her head. Kassandra was not deterred by this pitiful attempt at rejection. Instead she slowly advanced toward Kyra, her black ankle boots slowly clicking on the floor. Kyra was unable to look down at her approaching feet, instead keeping her eyes trained on the predatory look that Kassandra possessed. Kyra felt vaguely like a deer being stalked, but she could not break from this trance she was trapped in._

_Kassandra placed both her hands softly to cup Kyra’s face. Kyra gasped at the rush of warmth she felt with the touch. Kassandra seemed to notice, “See Kyra?” she whispered softly, her lips inching closer to Kyra’s, “…Tell me if this feels real.” Kassandra lurched forward, but right as her lips touched Kyra’s and a rush flowed through her body for a fraction of a second, Kyra was shaken awake._

               Kyra reached blindly for a figure in front of her that was never there. She met the eyes of Thaletas, who was expressing concern over Kyra.

“Kyra! Wake up, my love!” Kyra stared at him in confusion.

“You were sweating, Kyra. Pretty severely. Think you’re coming down with something?” He pressed the back of his hand to Kyra’s forehead, causing Kyra to blush and her body to heat up hotter with embarrassment.

“Hmm…” Thaletas pondered, “I think you’ll be fine, but please check in with Antonio in the morning.” He moved away from her to change out of his business suit. Kyra sighed once Thaletas had entered the bathroom. She looked over at the time to find it was almost three in the morning.

               Kyra ran a hand down her face, trying to recall what she had been dreaming about. She knew it was not innocent by any means, and the recollection of Kassandra’s hazel eyes only confirmed her suspicions of what she had indeed been dreaming about. She brought her fingers up to touch her lips. It felt so real, almost ethereal. Kyra trembled at the thought of what it might feel like for real but grew irritated at herself for even considering it. This look of irritation is what Thaletas saw when he came out of the bathroom.

“You alright Kyra?” His voice, though it sounded mildly concerned, was laced with exhaustion. It was almost like he only asked because he felt it was his duty to do so. Kyra shook her head and returned to a neutral expression.

“I’m fine. Good night Thaletas.” Kyra turned over in the bed, scared of closing her eyes not because she didn’t want to know what would be waiting for her, but because she was eager to find out.


	3. First Meeting

“Barnabas! The phone is ringing!” Kassandra shouted from her office at the old man. Barnabas had been her assistant for many years. She loved him like a father, but his habit of becoming distracted was a burden when he needed answer the phone. Kassandra sighed when she continued to hear it ring.

“Barnabas!” She tried once more, this time a little louder.

“Alright!” Barnabas shouted back. He mumbled to himself, thinking Kassandra couldn’t hear him, “A man can’t paint in peace around here. ‘Answer the phone! Answer the phone!’. Demanding little-”

Kassandra coughed, indicating she could indeed hear him. Barnabas glared at her, then proceeded to answer the phone. Kassandra shook her head with a good-natured smile at his antics. He wasn’t the best assistant, but he was a fantastic friend and an even better information broker with a wide network of contacts.

Returning to her papers, Kassandra reviewed her most recent case. A woman by the name of Otonia recently acquired her services, asking her to find a woman around the age of 22 or 23 who she believed ran with the Gambino family. When Kassandra asked what this woman looked like, the elderly woman replied that she knew the young woman when she was only five. It wasn’t much to go on by any means, but Kassandra had started investigations with less to go on. While Kassandra wanted to ask why Otonia wanted to find this person, she could tell she was not privy to such a backstory.

“Kassandra! The woman on the phone insists that she speaks to you personally. Says her name is Kyra.” Barnabas shouted from the other room. Kassandra’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of the stunning woman she met the other day.

“Transfer the call to me.” Kassandra replied without hesitation.

She took a deep breath before picking up the phone, “Private investigative services, Kassandra speaking.”

“Detective,” came Kyra’s voice from over the phone. Kassandra could’ve sworn she detected flirtation in just the single word, as well as a playful grin. “It’s Kyra, and I’m ready for you.” Kassandra let out a surprised laugh at Kyra’s choice of words.

“Do you always flirt with the people you work with, or am I a special exception?” Kassandra inquired, her professional façade dropped momentarily. “I suppose that’s up for evaluation.” Kassandra leaned back in her chair, “Right. The Siren in twenty minutes, and wear something that emits power and intimidation.”

“Ooouu,” Kyra said with a teasing tone, “you’re so assertive. I love it.” Kassandra heard Kyra chuckle softly at her own jab, “See you there, detective.”

Kassandra hung up and ran her hand over her side braid. She exhaled, feeling like she had held her breath for the entire conversation. Kassandra grabbed her leather jacket and her personal belongings to head out of the office. Before she could reach the door, she heard Barnabas call out teasingly, “Hey, next time get your girlfriend to call your line directly!” Kassandra blushed and rolled her eyes, “She’s not my girlfriend, just a business associate.”

“Mmhm. Right. I flirt with my ‘business associates’ all the time.” He gave Kassandra a look, not believing a word she said. Kassandra just shook her head and exited the office, only smiling to herself when she was out of his line of sight.

Twenty minutes later, Kassandra was sitting in a booth at The Siren, which was a Greek bar run by a lovely woman named Aspasia. She enjoyed coming here on her downtime. It remined her of home: the beautiful islands and rich history of Greece. She checked her watch, and just as she did she heard the jingle of the door to the bar. Kassandra looked up and her jaw dropped. Kyra stood in the doorway, dressed in a tight, short, sheer top, long sleeve black dress and black strappy heels. Kassandra could feel every pair of eyes turn to look at the stunning woman. Her smoky, wavy black hair was still styled in a top half ponytail. Kyra’s vibrant brown eyes immediately sought out Kassandra and Kyra flashed her a sly, gorgeous smile. She strode confidently over to the booth to take a seat and Kassandra closed her mouth.

“I assume this outfit is good enough,” Kyra stated knowingly. Kassandra quickly composed herself, “Uh, yes. It’s perfect.” Kassandra could feel her heart thump against her chest under the gaze of the woman opposite her. The pair fell into a comfortable silence, simply enjoying the presence of each other. Kyra opened her mouth to say something when Aspasia appeared at the table, startling both women.

“Can I get you anything?”

Kyra stuttered for a minute, taken aback by the genuinely beautiful woman in front of her, “Uh, I haven’t had a chance to glance at the menu, I’m afraid.” Kassandra stepped in, “Mind if I order for you?” Kyra shrugged nonchalantly. “You are at least 21, right?” Kassandra inquired. Kyra nodded, “Yes, I’m 22.” She then pulled out her ID for the waitress to see. Kassandra turned to face Aspasia, “She’ll have a Minotaur. Just water for me. Could you please put both on my tab?” Aspasia nodded, “Anything for you, Kassandra.”

Kyra observed the interaction between the two women and grew unexplainably annoyed. When the attractive waitress walked away, Kyra turned to Kassandra, “Well, you two seem… close.” Kyra didn’t like the way her tone sounded bitter, almost jealous. She had no right to be. She had a boyfriend for crying out loud! Kassandra just nodded and explained, “Yes, I’ve known Aspasia for many years. She hired me to investigate her last boyfriend because she thought he was cheating on her. He was. So, I introduced her to her current fiancé, Pericles, who is a close friend of mine.” Kyra’s eyebrows raised and her heart warmed at the story.

“Oh.” Kyra looked down, feeling both a mixture of embarrassment and relief at hearing the little story. Kassandra’s eyes narrowed and a small, confused smile formed on her face, studying Kyra. Realization dawned on her and a look of amusement crossed her features. She snorted softly and Kyra looked up at her, confusion and irritation directed at Kassandra.

“Did you think we might be dating or something?”

A furious blush spread across Kyra’s cheeks at her question. Kassandra’s eyes became soft as she reassured her, “Hey, I was just teasing, I’m sorry. I’ve never thought of her that way so the thought was amusing to me, but I should have considered how it might look to other people.”

Kyra just laughed softly, shaking her head, “No, you have no reason to be sorry, I do.” Kyra pinched the bridge of her nose as she tried her best to explain, “I shouldn’t have acted like that. I have no right to. I have a boyfriend.” Kassandra blinked in surprise at Kyra’s admission. She felt like someone had stabbed her heart, but she forced herself to maintain a neutral expression. _Of course, she has a boyfriend_ , Kyra thought.

“Right, um, so this job.” Kassandra changed the subject, and for that Kyra was grateful, though sad at the prospect that perhaps this changed the nature of their relationship.

“It requires an inside woman, this is where you come in. I need a list of all the women in the Gambino family who are 22 and 23, including associates.”

Kyra scoffed, “Is that all? Are you sure you also don’t need a list of all the 20-year-old women living in Manhattan?” A lighthearted smile spread over Kassandra’s face as she pretended to consider it, “Well…” Kyra leaned forward and swatted playfully at Kassandra’s shoulder. Both women chuckled good-naturedly, settling once again into a comfortable atmosphere. Hope took root in Kyra for the possibility of their connection to return to its original state, though she knew deep down it couldn’t. Why did she care about her relationship with the detective? It wasn’t like they could ever be together. So why then, did the mere presence of this woman calm every anxious feeling in her body?

Aspasia came back with the drinks, smiled affectionately at Kassandra, and returned to her duties.

“Is there any way that list can be narrowed?” Kyra asked, trying to get back on track. She had a job to do. Kassandra shook her head, “No, not at the moment at least. I’ll let you know if that changes. For now, though, we will focus on getting you recruited. That is the goal for today, hence your outfit.”

“Makes sense,” Kyra nodded, “but do you know where I go to get recruited? It’s not exactly like the Gambino family has ‘employees wanted’ posters in New York.” Kassandra laughed and took a sip of her water as she replied, “Yes, I will send you the address of where to go. I won’t have you wear a wire. Too dangerous. No weapons. You’re a mercenary, so you know how the drill goes. All you have to do is be confident and professional.” Kyra listened intently to Kassandra’s plan, startled at how easily her own organization could be infiltrated. Kassandra continued, “Let me know if you get into any trouble and I’ll be right there to help however I can.”

The sentiment was sweet to Kyra, but pointless in its entirety. She nodded, “Alright, send me the address. Let’s do this.”


	4. Deeper Connection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm getting a hang of this whole copy/paste thing. The transition between the two textboxes is a nightmare. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter, I'll have another one out by next week.

               Confidence had never been a problem for Kyra. In this business, it was kill or be killed, and that was a little hard to do if you were bashful. Kyra strutted toward what appeared to be an abandoned factory. The building was huge with strong redbrick walls and two sturdy metal doors, one large enough to accommodate large machinery and a smaller one for people. Most were unaware that the old factory, in reality, was one of many Gambino family weapons storage facilities, often used for induction meetings and arms deals. The fact that Kassandra knew about it was unsettling.

               Earlier, the two women scoped out the building with binoculars on a neighboring building.

“So, I had one of my guys on the inside make a request to consider a new associate, that’s you, and to set it up in a relatively open area. I’ll survey the whole thing, make sure they don’t try anything.” She turned to Kyra as if it was the simplest plan on Earth. Kyra just stared at her like she was crazy, which Kyra thought she just might be.

               Kyra laughed, but stopped herself before she could laugh hysterically as she clarified, “You want me to walk up and just join the Gambino mafia with no way of protecting myself or contacting you for help? And how exactly will you ‘make sure they don’t try anything’?” Kyra, in that moment, wondered if Kassandra knew she was already a member of the Gambino family and was simply toying with her. Kassandra smiled, an almost maniac look in her eyes as she turned around, accessing the black briefcase she brought with her. Kyra peaked around her shoulder curiously. Just as she caught sight of what made Kassandra so excited, Kassandra turned around, holding a customized sniper rifle. Kyra’s eyes widened.

“Nice gun.” Was all Kyra could get out. She was actually very impressed by the quality of the weapon and could tell that Kassandra took great care of it.

               Dropping into a crouch, Kassandra set up the rifle on a stand, aligning the scope with the entrance of the factory. Kassandra had taken off her leather jacket when they entered the roof, leaving her with just a white tank top. As she adjusted the scope, Kyra couldn’t help but admire the defined muscles of Kassandra’s arms on display; the way they flexed in concentration and twitched at the slightest movement by Kassandra. Kyra licked her lips. _Nice guns_ , she thought.

               She then noticed there were three long marks, relatively close together, on her lower right bicep. Kyra wondered where she got them. The marks indicated deep tissue damage that had healed a very long time ago, probably when she was very young. Kyra knew, she had a few of her own. Kassandra looked up and Kyra quickly looked away in embarrassment. Kassandra chuckled in light amusement.

“Feel free to stare Kyra, I’m not shy.” She flashed Kyra a cheeky grin. Kyra rolled her eyes with a smile.

“I was curious how you got those scars on your arm.”

               Kassandra gazed down, almost as if she forgot they were ever there. A look of both pain and sorrow flashed across her face. But just as quickly as it came, it was gone. Her grin returned as she said, “I’ve got more.” She then indicated another long scar on her left shoulder.

“The others are in places you can’t see… yet.” She winked at Kyra, causing her to blush and shake her head at her flirtatious quips.

“So, are you going to tell me how you got them?”

               Kassandra’s expression suddenly turned serious, but concerned, “Are you going to tell me how you got those?” Kassandra gestured to her own neck, referring to the bruises along Kyra’s neck. Kyra hid her shock at the question terribly, stuttering to find an answer. She thought she had hidden them well enough that nobody would notice. She seriously underestimated Kassandra’s awareness of her surroundings. Kassandra offered a sympathetic smile, “It’s alright Kyra, I’m not looking for leverage over you. I’ll be here if you want to talk. Nobody should have to go through something like that alone.”

               With that, Kassandra returned her focus to the men that were opening the smaller of the two doors to the factory. Kyra, on the other hand, was trying to hold back tears she didn’t know she could still shed.

               On her way down from the roof, she wiped furiously at the moisture in her eyes, mostly angry that she didn’t know why she was crying. _Damn her, that stupid compassionate idiot_ , she thought. Kyra hated herself more for wanting Kassandra’s calming presence to comfort her in that moment. _No_ , she asserted to herself, _you don’t need her or anyone. Pull yourself together, get out there, and do your job._

               Kyra approached the smaller metal door, her shoulders back and her chin high in an assertive gait. The first to notice her was a soldier she recognized, Praxos. He and Kyra weren’t far apart in the chain of command; she had just been with the Gambino family longer. He was a big, burly man with a full, scruffy beard, bald head, and a natural sullen expression. His face scrunched up in confusion as she walked toward him.

               Kyra whispered, trying to look natural, “Praxos, not a word about how you know me. I’m being watched by a detective. She can’t hear us, but she is watching through her sniper rifle. There is also a mole present here who obviously doesn’t know who I am. Based on your expression when I arrived, it isn’t you, so I’m trusting you. Just treat me like how you treat all your new recruits.”

               Praxos, for his part, remained relatively calm, even when she mentioned the sniper rifle.

“Well,” Praxos played along, returning the conversation to a normal volume so that others around them could hear, “we are glad you know a friend of ours. Boys!”

               The men around Praxos approached her, searching for weapons and, as Kassandra guessed, a wire. She hadn’t been searched like this since her early days joining the mafia. It was as much a humiliatingly vulnerable process then as it was now. When they were satisfied that she had nothing on her, the men gave Praxos the all clear. Keeping up the charade, Praxos menacingly moved toward her to rattle her, but Kyra knew that new recruits were expected to display a sense of professionalism and indifference in the face of intimidation. After a about a minute of this show down, Praxos regained his neutral expression, nodding in satisfaction. He gestured to the smaller door behind him.

“Come,” he ordered as he guided her through the door and into the building. Once they were through, he leaned over to whisper, “I will let Thaletas know as soon as possible. The mole will be dug out.”

               After a few agonizing hours, Kassandra saw Kyra walked back out of the factory, looking as stunningly confident as she did when she went in. She sighed in relief. Kassandra climbed down from the roof and met Kyra at their meeting point a few blocks from the factory, just in case someone decided to follow Kyra.

“You’re alright?” Kassandra asked, unable to hide her concern. Kyra smiled casually, as if all she did was walk into a store to buy something.

“Not my first pat down, detective.” Kyra winked and Kassandra’s cheeks tinged pink. Damn if this girl didn’t make her flustered.

“Right, yes, well, come with me,” Kassandra grabbed ahold of Kyra’s hand, beginning to drag her, “it’s better we talk in privacy about this.” Kyra noticed how warm her hand was.

               Kassandra drove them to one of the few parks that New York had to offer. Neither said much to the other on their way there, but the silence was comfortable between them. When they arrived, they sat on one of the grassy hills overlooking the park, basking in the fresh air. Kassandra was the first to break their silence, “So, tell me what happened.”

“Pretty routine stuff: rules, who I take orders from, and jobs I have to do. Not much different from when I do my usual mercenary work.”

               Kassandra crossed her arms, thinking. “Is it possible at your current level of access to find out how many 22 and 23-year-old women are a part of the family?”

               Kyra tried to recall what was in her power when she had first joined, “I don’t think I can openly access any records or files in my current position, though I can count how many I see.” Kyra’s sarcastic final comment was rewarded with a reprimanding, but playful glare from Kassandra.

               A sigh escaped Kassandra’s lips, “How good are you at accessing private files?” Even though Kyra had basically been doing it since she was a young girl, she pretended to evaluate her skills, “Mediocre.” Kassandra nodded, “Right, I’ll get on that. By the way, next time you meet with the employer, I’ll have you wearing an earpiece. I noticed they didn’t check for those, so we can use that to our advantage.”

               Kyra’s eyebrows rose slightly in surprise. This woman continued to surprise her with her keen perception. Kyra hummed an affirmation in response. Kassandra’s eyes closed and her head tilted back to bask in the late afternoon sun, a content smile on her face. A smile of her own formed on Kyra’s lips as she observed the detective.

“The air here reminds me of the hilltops of Greece. It’s where I grew up.” Kassandra’s eyes remained closed, humming this information to Kyra, “A cool breeze mixed with the sweet aroma of nearby flowers.”

               Her eyes opened and she turned to meet Kyra’s eyes, her hazel ones open and honest, “I miss it.” All breath left Kyra’s lungs as she was subject to Kassandra’s soul-piercing gaze. The intensity forced Kyra to look away. Hesitantly, she also opened up about her past, “I don’t remember Greece. My mother moved to America when I was very little.”

               Brows drawing closer together, Kassandra could sense pain behind the mention of her mother, “Do you want to talk about her, your mother?” A small smile found its way onto Kyra’s face as she described her mother, “She was a wonderful woman. Did everything she could to give me the best life.” Kyra’s face suddenly fell. Kassandra scooted closer to Kyra. She knew what followed was hard for Kyra to say, “Kyra, if it’s too hard, you don’t have to tell me.” Kyra shook her head, “No, it’s time someone knew. My mother was killed by a man she owed money to when I was five. Some asshole drug dealer, which is bullshit because my mother didn’t do drugs.”

               Kassandra admired the strength of the woman in front of her, her heart breaking hearing the recollection. Kyra drew a shaky breath, “I still have nightmares. I wake up in the middle of the night screaming. My boyfriend he-” Kyra looked like she was physically in pain trying to recall the memories, “he tries to help, but ends up holding me too tight, sending me into panic attacks.”

               Kassandra looked at the faint bruises that were well-hidden under concealer littering Kyra’s neck. She tentatively reached up and brushed her fingertips against them, causing Kyra to flinch slightly at the contact. Kassandra hesitated, waiting for Kyra to stop her. When she didn’t say anything, Kassandra lightly caressed a bruise with her thumb, “He did this, didn’t he?”

               Kyra’s silence was enough answer for Kassandra.

“He does this, and yet you stay with him?”

               There was no real explanation for it, or at least not one that she could tell Kassandra. What was she supposed to say? _He’ll kill me if I leave him_? More than likely, he would try to kill her lover first, and then kill her (not that Kassandra was her lover. Lover as in a broad, hypothetical sense). So, instead she improvised with a much more pitiful excuse, “He doesn’t know his strength, it’s accidental.” Kyra knew Kassandra didn’t believe her and both knew she was full of shit, but Kyra couldn’t tell her the truth. Kassandra sighed.

“I’m sorry about what happened to your mother. I know it’s nothing quite like what you’ve gone through, but my parents disowned me and kicked me out of their house when I was twelve for being gay.” Kyra looked back up at Kassandra as she continued, “I grew up on the streets of Greece, making a living as best as I could. When I was twenty, I got an opportunity to move to America to start over, and I took it.”

“And you became a private detective.” Kyra finished for her. Kassandra nodded. Kyra looked upon the beautiful woman with empathy, “Kassandra, just because we did not have the same incidents doesn’t mean we didn’t share similar struggles.” Kassandra smiled and laughed lightly, “You know, I think that’s the first time you’ve called me ‘Kassandra’ instead of ‘detective’.” Both women grinned at one another, their faces somehow closer together than when they started this part of the conversation.

“Well, _Kassandra_ ,” Kyra emphasized her name with a humorous undertone, “we should probably…” Kyra leaned in closer to Kassandra, her eyes hooded, “get out of here before it gets dark.” Kyra pulled away with a self-satisfied smirk. To say Kassandra was disappointed was an understatement, but her guilt in knowing that Kyra was already taken pushed away all instinct of pulling Kyra back to her. Even though her boyfriend was an abusive tool and Kyra deserved much better, she would respect her boundaries. Even so, Kassandra didn’t know if Kyra felt the same way about her. After all, this whole thing was just a job to her, right?


	5. Is this a date?

“Is this a date?”

              Kassandra’s eyes flitted to Kyra over the rim of her glass of red wine. She placed the glass back down on the table, where they were indeed eating dinner at a very nice restaurant. Kassandra’s tongue dashed out to lick the remaining wine from her lips. Kyra’s eyes followed the movement.

“Did you want it to be?” Kassandra’s tone was low and teasing. Kyra rolled her eyes. A perfectly shaped eyebrow raised from the hazel-eyed women as a smirk made its way onto her lips.

               Clearing her throat, Kyra avoided both her eyes and answering the question, “So, is there an actual reason you’re treating me to dinner?”

               Her smirk never fell as she studied the other woman. It had been a few weeks since Kyra first infiltrated the mafia and they barely scratched the surface of gaining any real info, much less numbers regarding female members. Kyra’s supervisor, a soldier named Praxos, seemed to keep her busy with small, odd jobs. Only recently did Kyra discover the location of the major information database, but it was heavily fortified both physically and digitally. Still teasing, she responded, “What? We can’t have a nice dinner without some sort of purpose?”

               Kyra couldn’t stop the soft laugh that escaped her lips. This woman was a mystery wrapped in an enigma, and yet she was the most open person she’d ever met. It made no logical sense. Over the course of a few weeks, she’d grown fond of the detective and her sarcastic quips made into the earpiece Kyra wore when she was “undercover” within the mafia. Oftentimes, she had to hold back her laughter in the presence of Praxos, for which she later scolded Kassandra for “almost blowing her cover”.

“Kassandra…” Kyra said low, warningly, yet with a touch of amusement. She sighed, “Oh, fine. You’re no fun when you’re serious. Yes, I did call you here to discuss business.”

               It was then that Kyra noticed a dark brown satchel sitting next to Kassandra. It clashed with the simple black dress she was wearing, which Kyra found to be very attractive and form-fitting (more like impossibly sexy). From it, she pulled out a folder that held a variety of different documents. She pulled out one of the wordier reports. “This,” she began, “is a synopsis on everything my client could provide about our mystery woman. I’m hoping this narrows the search.” Kyra inspected the paper, trying to piece together who the woman could be.

“She’s foreign? As in, foreign descended or actually migrated from a foreign country?” There were many Italian women in the mafia who could be considered foreign, even though a lot of them had been born in America. Kassandra shrugged, “My client was unsure, and only wanted to give us the facts.” Kyra hummed, “Well, I don’t think it narrows it down much, as there are a lot of _Italian_ women in the _Italian_ mafia.”

               Kassandra rolled her eyes, “Continue reading.”

               Eyes scanning the report, Kyra noticed a startling fact about the mystery woman that hit home with herself, “She was raised by her single mom?” Kassandra nodded. Kyra knew a couple women in the mafia personally who were raised by a single mom. The tidbit certainly reduced their search. Kyra pretended to consider the implications of the discovery and then nodded in return, “Yes, that could do it. If we can get access to that database, the list will be significantly shorter.”

               As if suddenly recalling something, Kassandra snapped her fingers, “That’s right, that’s the other thing I wanted to talk to you about.” She reached back into her bag, pulling out an oddly-shaped pen. Kyra raised an eyebrow, “I’m hoping there’s something more to that pen that meets the eye.” Kassandra chuckled softly, pulling the back of the pen out slightly, emitting a soft blue light from the tip of the pen. The blue light slowly scanned what was in front of it, disappearing with a red beep.

“It’s a modified hacking device. The user simply pulls out the back, it scans the components of whatever technology you are attempting to hack, and if done correctly, returns with a green beep. The cap on the back of the pen is actually a USB port.” Kassandra demonstrated by removing the cap, showing that there was indeed a USB port on the pen. “At the login page, the pen is inserted into the USB port, instantly inputting the hack, allowing access.” She grinned and Kyra stared open-mouthed at the tiny, but powerful little device.

               Closing her mouth to respond, Kyra was beyond baffled, “And you just happen to have one?” Kassandra shrugged, “I know a guy.” She then grinned like a little kid revealing a secret, “He actually has a couple different models, each with different types of ports for different kinds of technology.”

“Kind of scary to think a guy has the power to hack my phone whenever he wants.” Kyra tried to comprehend the significance of this new development. She would have to inform Thaletas that things were moving ahead of schedule to maintain her cover.

“I mean, his main drive is purely innovative. He owed me a favor, so I was able to get ahold of this prototype with the condition that I don’t try to market it. He’s unsure whether or not he wants the public to have access to this kind of technology.” Kyra nodded, “Smart. The world isn’t ready for something like that.”

               Kassandra returned the device to her bag. The two women fell into a comfortable silence while waiting for the check. Kassandra sensed a sort of electric energy emitting from Kyra. From the moment Kassandra saw Kyra walk up the restaurant in a gorgeous scarlet red bodycon dress, she hadn’t been able to keep her eyes off the stunning woman. The dress itself wasn’t anything extravagant, but the woman that wore it brought the outfit to a whole other level. Kassandra hadn’t realized she’d been staring until deep brown eyes found hers. She looked away embarrassingly, failing in her attempt to play it off. Kassandra missed the sly smirk the other woman threw her.

               When the waitress returned, the two women exited the restaurant. Greeted by the cool outdoor air, Kassandra felt compelled to stay by Kyra a little longer, “I’ll walk you to your car.” Kyra didn’t bother insisting otherwise. Both were afraid to break the tension that hung in the air on the way to Kyra’s car, neither daring to look the other in the eye. It was only when they reached the vehicle did Kassandra turn to Kyra to bid her a goodnight. Her mouth opened to say something, anything, and Kyra’s brown eyes seemed to search Kassandra’s hazel ones for some sort of answer. Kassandra could only imagine the question they were trying to determine. “Kyra, I…” She took a step toward Kyra, not quite sure how to express what she was feeling without scaring the woman away. Kyra seemed to lean into her presence, as if magnetically drawn to her. Without even realizing it, Kassandra leaned in closer, feeling the breath of Kyra on her face.

               Every bone in Kyra’s body was telling her to close the gap, yet she still had a sliver of doubt in her mind. She knew what taking this step would implicate and was afraid. Kassandra took the moment of hesitation differently, sighing in defeat, “I understand. You love your boyfriend.”

               _No_ , Kyra thought, _not that at all_. More the opposite. She was terrified; terrified that Kassandra would hate her if she knew the truth, terrified of what Thaletas would do to Kassandra if he ever found out, terrified that she might be falling for Kassandra.

“No…” Kyra took a step toward Kassandra, blissfully surrendering to the sweet kiss that greeted her. Surprise from Kassandra quickly gave way to a sigh as her arms wrapped around Kyra’s torso. Kyra heard a whimper escape her mouth as her fingers tangled in Kassandra’s luscious dark brown braid, pulling her closer. Kyra enjoyed every sensation the other woman provided, the kiss progressively building into a more passionate embrace.

“Kyra…” That sultry Greek accent, the one that had haunted her dreams over the course of the last few weeks, whispered her name against her lips. A huff of hot breath from Kassandra could be heard as she backed Kyra against her car to press closer to her. The kiss resumed with a more feverish passion, both women expressing what had been repressed with every flirty comment, hot look, and private thought.

               Kassandra moaned as Kyra attempted to buck her hips from underneath Kassandra’s body. Heavy breathing resounded in Kassandra’s ears. Her hands moved to caress the beautiful curves and dips of Kyra’s body, Kyra shivering at her touch. Kassandra felt the tip of Kyra’s tongue graze her lips. Just as she opened her mouth to grant access, the two women heard someone behind them cough loudly.

               Like scared cats, they jumped apart from one another, looking to see the person who had coughed, an older lady, continue to her own car. Both women were breathing heavily. When they made eye contact, Kyra laughed softly, “That was…”

“Amazing.” Kassandra finished for her. Kyra smiled timidly and nodded slowly, “Yea.”

               Kyra bit her lip, knowing she had to return to the penthouse, yet not wanting to leave Kassandra like this.

“I need to go.” Kassandra looked disappointed at Kyra’s words, but understanding. Just before entering her car, Kyra turned to Kassandra, “I don’t regret it.” She smiled softly at the detective, gratefully receiving a small smile in return.

               Driving back to the penthouse was difficult, her drifting mind stealing the focus that driving required. It was late when she finally made it into the bedroom, where Thaletas awaited, still awake. He had different files scattered around him. He greeted her with a smile as she entered, “Hey Kyra. How’d the dinner go?” Panic was her first instinct, but years of deceit had conditioned her to mask the emotion, presenting an indifferent demeanor.

“It was nice. She had more information on the woman she’s looking for.”

               Thaletas appeared intrigued at this news, “Really? Anything that indicates who it might be?” Kyra shook her head, “Nothing concrete, just that she’s foreign and was raised by a single mother.”

“Quite a few who fit that description.”

“We have to progress with the schedule,” Kyra said as she finished disrobing.

               His eyebrows drew together in confusion, “Why?”

“She has this hacking device. If she has me accessing the database next time, she’s going to expect me to use it.” Kyra entered in her nightclothes and joined Thaletas in the bed.

“We still don’t know why she wants these names. We’ll modify the list. And…” Kyra could see the wheels turning in Thaletas’s head as he turned to Kyra with a mischievous grin, “I think we should give her a little something extra.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the wonderful comments. A few may not seem like a lot to most people, but each means the world to me.


	6. Rats

               If there was something to be said about Thaletas, it was that he knew how to devise an aggressive battle plan. That, along with his straightforward attitude and poor tolerance for mistakes, were some of the reasons he was such a successful leader. A ball of guilt gnawed at her stomach at the knowledge of what she was about to do, the feeling becoming harder to ignore.

“Okay, the room is just ahead. You ready?” Came Kassandra’s voice through her earpiece. _No, I’m not ready. Not at all,_ came Kyra’s reply in the form of thoughts.

               Kyra was moving along the corridor of the communications building toward the main database, the sparsely decorated white walls feeling like they were closing in on her. Kyra had never felt claustrophobic before, but sensed that this anxious, trapped feeling welling within her was a good indication that she was feeling pretty claustrophobic.

“Yea…” She breathed out, trying to calm that anxious feeling. It was an uncommon experience for her, to let her nerves get the best of her, “Let’s try to get in and out.”

               A feeling similar to exasperation swept through Kyra as she was soothed by Kassandra’s assuring voice, “I’ll be right here through the whole thing.” Kyra gritted her teeth in a physical effort to suppress the urge to respond with ‘thank you’. She couldn’t let this woman distract her from the task at hand, what needed to be done. She needed to distance herself from the detective if she was ever going to find a way to live with herself again knowing what she had to do.

               Earlier, Thaletas had laid out exactly how he wanted this plan to be executed. Kyra stared at him in shock when he had finished, his lips twisted in a sinister grin.

“Thaletas, are you insane? You’ll compromise the mission just like that?” She argued. Thaletas shrugged, “You said it yourself that we needed to move our plan along quicker, and this is the most efficient way to do it, killing two birds with one stone in a sense.”

               Kyra shook her head, not believing the lengths he was willing to go to when they didn’t even know what Kassandra’s plan was. She knew it had to be done eventually; it was the way of the mafia after all, but she never expected it to happen like this.

“We’ll be playing all our cards if we do this.” Kyra warned, “You’re confident this is the best course of action?”

               His confidence never wavered as he replied, “I have a very good feeling this is guaranteed to draw out the detective and put an end to her investigations.”

               Two armed guards stood watch outside the door to the database core. They wore standard suits with bulletproof vests hidden underneath their jackets. Kyra rounded the corner, approaching the men with precise, experienced movements. “Hey!” They shouted as they raised their weapons toward her, “Stop!”

               Not even getting a chance to pull the trigger, the first guard was knocked to the ground as Kyra swept his feet out from under him. The second guard prepared to fire as Kyra delivered a swift kick to his groin, causing him to double over in pain and allowing Kyra to tear his weapon from his hands. Fist collided with face and the second guard became unconscious. The first guard, recovering from the stun of being knocked to the ground, stood and put up his fists to fight. Kyra laughed internally. Two jabs to the face and a punch to the gut had the first guard moaning in pain on the floor. Kyra kicked his face to ensure he, too, became unconscious.

Retrieving the keycard from the first guard, Kyra gained access to the main database. Kyra heard a huff through her earpiece and smiled slyly, “What?” Her voice had the appearance of innocence but retained a smug undertone. “Uh, well, in the words of one of my favorite movie quotes, ‘I am both frightened and aroused’.” Kyra laughed softly, unable to help the feeling of warmth she felt towards the other woman, “Nerd.”

Kyra took in the familiar sight of the large structure that held many Gambino family secrets. Thaletas made sure to move the more important information in anticipation of the eventual infiltration. Pulling the device from her pocket, Kyra followed the steps to activate it. When the light blue light appeared and scanned the computer screen, it returned with a beeping green light. Pulling up to the login screen, Kyra inserted the device into the USB port, curious to see the little gadget at work. Numbers flashed across the screen before it granted her access to all the files the Gambino family hid away.

“I’m in,” Kyra informed Kassandra.

“Good.” she responded, “Now, do you know how to find the list of associates and members, preferably separated by sex?”

               Kyra acted out searching for the list, following Thaletas’s plan exactly. Again, her stomach panged with impending dread. Finally, she accessed a file with everything Kassandra desired to know, with a few tweaks from Thaletas of course. He removed people of true importance to the family and Kyra, of course.

“Got it. Is there any way to upload it to you?” Kyra inquired, hoping this one unknown in Thaletas’s plan played out like he hoped while also hoping it didn’t.

“Yeah, press that little button on the side of the device. That will export all the data from your screen onto my phone.” Kyra’s stomach sank with the knowledge of what was coming. The button was not hard to find. She knew that pressing it would change everything. Strange how the little things in life often make the biggest impact. _Sorry Kassandra. I hope you can forgive me someday_ , she thought as she pressed the button on the device.

-

               Anxiety flowed through Kassandra as she waited for the data to download to her phone. The stress of knowing that Kyra was in danger was the root of her anxiety, though she was unwilling to express that to Kyra, much less to herself. She was watching from the rooftop of a neighboring building, her sniper rifle poised to fire if Kyra needed assistance. When her phone pinged with the notification that the download was complete, Kassandra let out a breath of relief.

“Okay Kyra, now get out of-” her sentence was cut off with the appearance of something unexpected on her screen. It was a video. There was a man in the middle of a dimly lit room, a mask over his head. Kassandra’s brows drew together in confusion, “Kyra, what is this?” There was no answer from the other woman, “Kyra?”

               Panic rose within Kassandra. She looked at the building through her scope; no activity. Something felt off, she just knew it. Her attention turned back to the video, glaring at her like a bad omen. She pressed play.

               A couple seconds of silence in the video was broken suddenly with a, “Hello Kassandra.” Her stomach sank at the realization that someone knew about the infiltration into the building. She continued watching the video as she watched a man dressed in a black suit approach the man in the middle of the room with the bag over his head. The camera was angled so Kassandra couldn’t see the face of the man in the suit.

“I think you know Markas.” The man in the suit stated as he ripped the bag from the kneeling man’s face, revealing her friend, the one inside the Gambino family who acted as her informant. She gasped aloud, horror resonating through her mind. His mouth was gagged and his eyes were wide with terror.

“Yes, we found your little mole. He was kind enough to provide us with all the information we needed.” Markas groaned through the gag, obviously trying to tell Kassandra something, though his efforts were redundant. The man in the suit pulled out a pistol from behind him, “This is what happens to rats when they betray the trust of the family.”

               He pressed the pistol against Markas’s head and pulled the trigger. Markas fell over limply. Unmoving. _Dead_. Kassandra closed her eyes in sorrow, tears welling in her eyes. She knew this was her fault. She tried to draw a shaky breath as she watched the man in the suit walk calmly to stand in front of the camera.

“ _All_ rats, Kassandra.” The video ended. It only took a moment for Kassandra to realize what the man was saying.

“Kyra!” She tried communicating with her with no luck. Sobs escaped her throat brokenly when she realized what they would do to her. Suddenly, Kassandra heard a familiar voice that sent ripples of fear up her back and caused goosebumps to form along her arms, “All rats, Kassandra.”

               Kassandra heard the scream of Kyra in the background, something she never wanted to hear ever again. “No!” she heard, “Kassandra, don’t listen to them! Don’t come after me, do you under-” her voice cut off from her audio. She heard tsking on the other ended, presumably from the man in the suit, “Poor, noble Kyra.”

               Gritting her teeth as her anger flared, Kassandra asked, “What do you want?” She could almost feel the smile from the man on the other end of her audio feed, “Funny you should offer.” He chuckled manically, “Surrender yourself to us or Kyra dies.”


	7. Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it took me a while to get this update out there. Schoolwork has kept me busy. Plus, I wanted to make sure that this was the direction I wanted to take with the story. This chapter is crucial to the whole story, so I wanted to make sure it was written right.

If Kassandra was being honest with herself, she really had no idea what she was walking into. She had no time to prepare, no time to think of a way out. She only prayed her hunch was right.

               The building she approached loomed over her, seeming to foreshadow impending doom. It was a two-story concrete building with a giant satellite dish sitting on its roof. The intention of the simple design was to avoid attention, a job it fulfilled quite well. Armed guards directed their weapons at Kassandra as she approached the front double doors with her hands behind her head in a gesture of surrender. Standing in front of the doors was a man in a black suit and Kassandra assumed it was the man from the video. She disliked him immediately, and not just because he killed Markas. His self-assured smirk irritated her and his ashy black hair reminded her of her uncle’s remains that her family had distributed into the blue waters of her homeland; reminded her of death. Not that he intimidated her in any way (she knew she could take him with her hands tied behind her back), but more that she could simply feel that the man before her would take life without a second thought if it pleased him.

“Detective,” he addressed her with a formal bow that was in no way honoring, “allow me to introduce myself. My name is Thaletas.”

               Kassandra recognized that name immediately as the head of the Gambino family. She narrowed her eyes as she stared this man down, waiting for him to make his move. He laughed light-heartedly, “Now that introductions are out of the way,” he nodded in her direction, indicating his guards to search her for weapons.

               She was directed inside the building and lead to a dimly lit backroom. Her stomach dropped as she recognized it as the room where Markas was shot. A sour tang afflicted Kassandra’s taste buds as bile rose in her throat in reaction to the knowledge. Thaletas only smiled, “Recognize it? I’d hoped you would. I am a poetic soul, after all.”

               _Sick man_ , was all Kassandra could think.

“I don’t know what it is you’re hoping to obtain from me, but I can assure you that I’ll die before I give it to you.” She shot at him, pure hatred fueling her words. His smile only grew, causing Kassandra to become disconcerted.

“Oh, I know you will,” he slowly roved about the room, building anticipation to his next words, “which is why I made sure to bring leverage.” He gestured to the entrance of the room in a sweeping motion, drawing her attention to what he could be implying. Surely enough, standing in the doorway to the room was Kyra, her hair disheveled, her mouth gagged, and her eyes wide, not in fear like Kassandra would have expected, but in sorrow.

“Kyra!” Kassandra exclaimed. Kyra moaned against the gag in response. Thaletas just watched the whole interaction with great interest. Kassandra turned to Thaletas in anger, “Let her go!” He laughed, “No, can’t do that detective. If you don’t help me,” he approached Kyra and grasped her lower jaw, “Kyra gets hurt.” Kyra shook his hand away, a look of disgust clear in her eyes. He grinned at her and then gestured for both women to be restrained in handcuffs within the room. His cocky grin never left his face even as he locked both women within the faint lights of the cold room.

               When the door had locked and the air had settled into one of hopeless despair, Kyra moved her shoulder against the gag in her mouth to free her words. Only she found that she had nothing to say when meeting sad, hazel eyes. Finally, Kyra sighed and uttered, “I’m so sorry about your friend Kassandra.”

               With a shaky breath she didn’t know she had been holding, Kassandra nodded, “I am too.” Kyra hung her head in shame, refusing to further meet Kassandra’s gaze. Her shoulders shaking as if she was close to breaking down, Kyra whispered softly, “Why did you come? I told you not to come.”

“They would have killed you.”

               Kyra’s head shot up, “That doesn’t matter.” Kassandra’s eyes softened at the words of the broken women, “It does to me.” Kyra couldn’t fight the tears that threatened to fall. She shook her head in disbelief. “Stupid, wonderful idiot,” escaped under her breath. There was a moment before silence before Kyra started, “Kassandra, there’s something you need to know…”

“You’re a part of the Gambino family.”

               Her eyes widened and then she laughed softly, “Of course you know.” Kassandra shrugged, “Well, I had a hunch, which was just confirmed.”

“How long?”

               Kassandra’s lips thinned as she tried to recall, realizing even to herself a deep truth, “I think I’ve known for a while, but I didn’t want to believe it.”

               But there was something that lingered within Kyra’s mind, something she couldn’t quite wrap her brain around, “If you knew… then why come? I could have been staging the whole thing, trying to lure you into a trap.”

               Kassandra didn’t hesitate, “But you weren’t, were you?” She posed it more as a statement rather than a question and Kyra shook her head. She continued, “I had to know. I had to be sure, once and for all, that not all of it was a lie.”

“Yes, but-” Kyra was cut off when Kassandra pulled her hands from behind her back, handcuff attached to one, bobby pin in the other, and a cheeky grin directed at Kyra. A disbelieving chuff escaped Kyra’s throat, followed by a playful scoff, “I totally could’ve done that too.” Kassandra winked and then proceeded to unlock the cuffs on both of them. Kyra rubbed her tender wrists as she turned to Kassandra and gestured to the door, “I assume you can pick that one too?”

               There were no guards outside the door, but there were some near the back exit of the building, which the two highly skilled women took down easily. Grabbing the handguns they carried, the women made their way out of the building. As the location of the building was in a rather secluded area with only a few choice structures around it, the women were greeted with greenery.

“Now what?” Kyra asked. Kassandra just smirked, “You think I’d plan an operation without a backup plan?”

               She pulled up and revealed a device hidden under her shirt. Kyra stared and then laughed, “Is that a pager?” Kassandra rolled her eyes, “I only have access to a few high tech gadgets. Barnabas feels more comfortable with this method anyway.” Pressing the button on the pager sent out a message to Barnabas, who was waiting in a parked car a few miles away. He pulled up in an inconspicuous black sedan, rolled down the window, and shouted, “Let’s go!”

“Who’s that?”

“Barnabas, my assistant.” Kassandra answered, walking to the car.

“Is that glass bullet proof?”

Slightly puzzled at the question, she answered regardless, “Yes.” She pulled open the door to the front passenger’s seat and got in. She was about to buckle when she realized that Kyra had not followed her into the car. She looked up at Kyra, who didn’t move. Confusion drew her brows together as she questioned, “Kyra, what are you doing? We have to go.”

               Kyra donned a sad smile. She slowly walked toward the car, bending down and bracing her elbows on the frame of the rolled-down window. Eyes full of sorrow, she asked softly, “Do you trust me?” Kassandra’s confusion only grew, “Kyra, what are you doing?”

               Kyra leaned forward, her lips grazing Kassandra’s gently, enough to leave a lingering sweet aftertaste. Kyra pulled away from the brief kiss, her brown eyes admiring Kassandra’s hazel orbs. Kassandra almost didn’t hear Kyra’s hushed command, “Drive.”

               A gun was in Kassandra’s face in the next instant. Her clouded mind almost didn’t register it.

“Drive!” Kyra shouted louder, an order that Barnabas didn’t need to be told twice to follow. He floored it, prompting Kyra to fire at the car. She ran after it, continuing to fire even around the corner of the building. Kassandra watched Kyra fade in the side mirror, wondering what she was getting herself into.


	8. Author's Note: Not the Final Chapter

I want to make it perfectly clear that this story is not dead to me. I intend to finish it, and I will. I apologize for not posting in a very long time, life just gets in the way sometimes. I hope you can all understand that. I will be posting soon, so prepare for the next update. Our thrilling climax is approaching, along with the smut that some of you are here to see, lol. Hope you all can stay with me on this, as this story is very dear to me and I refuse to leave it abandoned.

Apologies from this gay dunce,  
Lesbian_potato


	9. Plan In Motion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I obviously don't know what 'soon' means. Sorry for that. Hopefully nano can keep me on track. Next chapter is going to be deep, I can feel it.

               _This plan is stupid_ , Kyra thought to herself, _it’s never going to work._ She stared at the scratchy security video feed of her shooting down Kassandra’s car. Knowing the cameras in the back faced slightly to the right, Kyra was certain her little scene with Kassandra wasn’t recorded. The video only showed Kyra shooting after the getaway car. Distrust and curiosity were present on Thaletas’s face as he, too, analyzed the clip. The conclusion he would reach determined her fate and whether her plan could succeed. Kyra noted the lines in his face as they twisted from one emotion to another, hearing him speak without a word between the two. Thaletas knew she was a good liar, but he didn’t know the extent of her expertise. Kyra possessed a powerful ability to read people, spanning from detecting lies to learning personal details about a person all within a matter of seconds.

               Kyra could tell Thaletas was currently having an internal battle, one side of him doubting her actions and the other wanting to believe what he was seeing on camera. She hoped he would conclude the latter. She watched as his lips thinned and his eyes narrowed slightly, indicating his indecision of the matter.

“So you’re telling me,” Thaletas clarified, “Kassandra picked her own lock, helped you escape because she thought you were helping her,” Kyra held a face void of any apparent deceit, “and when you pulled a gun on her, she fought back, knocked the gun out of your hand, and managed to get away in her car, which you then shot at. But you were unaware that the glass was bulletproof.”

               There was a silence before Kyra slowly nodded her head with a look of contentment, as if she was recounting the events that occurred. Thaletas sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in attempt to ease the headache that was pounding away at his head. His hand swiped his face from his eyes to rest at his mouth, studying her. She stood there, her face nonchalant and waiting expectantly for his answer. The moment she noticed the muscles in his face soften, she became aware of his conclusion.

“Okay, say I believe you, why go through all the trouble to make it look like you were against me? I mean, even I thought you suddenly switched teams.” Kyra thinned her lips to keep from laughing at his choice of words, his comment catching her off guard. _If only you knew, Thaletas_ , she thought. Kyra, however, had been expecting this kind question from him. He was a predictable man.

“I had to make it look real, and that meant convincing you to convince her. She’s smart and would’ve caught onto our little ploy.” Thaletas raised an eyebrow, impressed and almost fully convinced, yet still searching for the reason behind her deception. Kyra smiled slowly, wickedly, “Doing so allowed me to get close enough to nab this.”

               Thaletas’s jaw dropped as he stared at what Kyra held in her hands.

-

               The door to the office slammed shut with a furious thud as Kassandra stormed into her work building, her mind racing faster than the heart beating within her chest. Barnabas tentatively open and closed the door, following Kassandra. He remained quiet with an expression of cool composure as he stood behind Kassandra, watching her pace the office.

“What the hell is she thinking, shooting at us like that? We can help her. She said to trust her. But what is that supposed to mean? God!” Kassandra finally stopped pacing as she collapsed, exasperated, into her office chair. Barnabas offered a sympathetic smile, which went unnoticed by Kassandra as her mind was currently occupied. After a while, Kassandra turned to Barnabas, who waited patiently for Kassandra to calm down, “Barnabas, what do I do?”

               Truthfully, Barnabas had been expecting this question from Kassandra. As a result, he had spent most of the car ride analyzing her different options, “It seems to me that you have a variety of choices. You could always opt to ignore the whole ordeal.” Kassandra’s nose crinkled and her stomach gnawed at the very idea. Barnabas nodded, noting her reaction.

“Another option is to trust Kyra, to trust that she has a plan and will find a way to let you know about it.” Kassandra’s heart warmed at the idea, insisting she could trust the confusing woman. She sighed, wondering how Kyra might be able to get in touch with her, choosing to follow Barnabas’s suggestion. She patted down her pockets. Kassandra’s brows furrowed.

“Where the hell…” She mumbled, feeling around her person. A mixed sensation of cold dread, anger, and hurt hit her like a bolt of lightning. She looked up at Barnabas, a look of distress written clearly across her features. Barnabas became concerned upon seeing such betrayal in her eyes. Kassandra swallowed harshly, “I am such a fool.”

-

               There, held up in Kyra’s hand, was Kassandra’s phone. Thaletas’s eyes were wide and blatantly staring at the small device like she held the keys to the universe. Slowly, his look of bewilderment turned into one of impressed cogitation. Kyra could practically see the gears in his head spinning once more. She just hoped he would stick to his predicable pattern. He nodded and the ball that had been coiled in Kyra’s stomach eased slightly. He motioned for one of his bodyguards to take the phone from Kyra, passing on the order that the phone was to be sent to the technical team for jailbreaking. Approval clear in his eyes as he turned back to Kyra, “Nice to see you back in the game Kyra.” His smile softened and Kyra realized she no longer felt the calm that smile once brought to her. Instead she felt irritation at his constant insistence to ignore issues.

               His hot-headedness got the better of him many times, often feeding into a nasty temper that Kyra had more than once been on the receiving end of. Afterwards, he would apologize and insist he would never do it again. It was his repeating pattern, and Kyra had fell prey to it. _No longer_ , she reminded herself. Her plan was in motion and running exactly as planned. There was only one unknown factor in her grand scheme, one person who could make or break everything she had set up; Kassandra. She was the wildcard in all of this. Her only hope was that Kassandra trusted her.

               She tried her best to give him a genuine smile instead of the tight-lipped one she could feel emerging, “Good to be back.” His head tugged in a ‘follow me’ gesture as he led her away from the security building to the waiting limousine. The whole ride to the penthouse Thaletas rambled excitedly about different topics ranging from mafia politics to possible secrets hidden on Kassandra’s phone, each one more boring than the last. His endless droning had Kyra begging for a reprieve, which she was granted upon arrival at the penthouse.

               Stepping out of the limo and thanking the man who opened the door for her, her shoulder was suddenly rammed by a man hurriedly passing her on the street with not so much as an ‘I’m sorry’ thrown to her. The rudeness of the man covered in layers of clothing caused anger to flair within her, prompting her to call out to him, “Hey jackass! Watch where you’re going!” He didn’t look back. She shook her head, agitated. She bent down to pick up her phone he caused her to drop and noticed a letter on the ground with small letters spelling ‘Kyra’ across the top left corner. Suddenly aware of the intentions of the mysterious man’s rude behavior, she quickly scooped up the letter and her phone. As she stood back up, Thaletas rounded from the other side of the limo, “Everything alright?”

“Hmm? Oh yea, just some asshole that doesn’t know how to walk. Typical New Yorker.” Thaletas didn’t think twice about it, as she knew he wouldn’t, and they continued up into the penthouse.

               It was only later that night did Kyra feel safe enough, with the bathroom door locked, to open the letter to finally read it. The tiny note that had been on her mind the entirety of the afternoon only had one sentence written on it: **We need to talk, you know the park.**


	10. All Revealed

              One might describe this particular day in New York as “rare” or “perfect”. The sun warmed bodies as they strode along on their everyday commutes. It was not a hot day, as the sweet breeze provided a light coolness to the heat. The grass appeared vibrantly green amidst a cloud-speckled blue sky. Yes, one could see it as perfect, yet all Kyra could feel was dread in the pit of her stomach as she sat on a bench awaiting Kassandra’s arrival, if she was to show at all. Not that Kyra would really blame her.

               A tree nearby provided her area with shade, a necessity considering she had no idea how long she would be waiting. Kyra squinted into the leaves of the looming giant, trying to find the position of the sun to tell the time of day. She had decided not to bring her phone, as she was unsure whether Thaletas was tracking it. Sighing, she looked down at her hands in an attempt to distract her mind. To her, they were too slender. Every time she looked at her nimble fingers Kyra was reminded of the days when her day-to-day survival rested on her pickpocketing ability. She noted her short fingernails and wondered if her natural habit of keeping them short was yet another indicator of her repressed sexuality. She laughed aloud at herself, realizing how silly that stereotype was. And yet… Kassandra’s nails were short too. _Maybe there’s a reason that’s a thing_ , Kyra thought to herself. Her thoughts drifted to the implications that short nails might indicate. Vivid imagery of Kassandra, her, and fingers flooded her mind. Her cheeks quickly colored a light rosy color.

“Now with a face like that,” Kyra was startled out of her indecent daydream by a pleasant Greek accent, “I’m unsure about wanting to ask what you were thinking about.” Kyra was greeted with a smile that didn’t quite meet her eyes. Kyra immediately missed the playful gleam she would normally have in her eyes when she teased her. Embarrassed, Kyra dropped her gaze with a soft chuckle to herself. Flustered was not something Kyra did, ever. Her profession required confidence in almost everything she did. This woman drew out reactions within her she had never felt before. Kyra felt like the shy teenager with a crush she never had the chance to be.

               Seeing that Kyra was not going to offer her a response, Kassandra gestured to the bench Kyra sat at, “This seat taken?” Kyra could see the sadness and mistrust shining through her features clear as day, and Kyra felt her heart break knowing she put it there. She nodded slightly and Kassandra sat down with a heavy sigh. Both stared ahead at the landscape of New York on a perfect day, neither daring to look at the other. Swallowing hard, Kyra tried to form words yet she did not quite trust herself to speak.

               Kassandra’s voice cut sharply through the silence like a steak knife, “When did you take it?” Kyra turned to look at Kassandra, only to find her staring straight ahead with a look of stoic calm. This wasn’t what Kyra had expected at all. Tears, an outburst of anger, or even a look of rejection, but not calm. In all honesty, Kassandra’s lack of emotion scared her even more than any scenario Kyra had thought of.

“Just before you pulled away with your driver.”

               Kassandra’s lips thinned upon hearing this information, “So you took it when you kissed me.” The accusation, while able to be explained, was true, “Yes.” Kassandra nodded, happy to hear Kyra was willing to tell the truth. Kassandra continued to stare straight ahead as she stated, “I trusted you, and despite learning what you just pulled, I still want to.”

               Kassandra turned to look into Kyra’s eyes, a pleading look directed towards her, “Please tell me I wasn’t wrong for trusting you.” Slight relief washed over Kyra at the knowledge that this might work out, that she could tell Kassandra her plan and have her believe it.

“I had to get Thaletas to trust me again.” Confusion sparked behind Kassandra’s eyes at the mention of him, “Kyra, you don’t have to go back to him. We can protect you.” The tone was pleading, sincere. Yet Kyra knew what Kassandra said was entirely impossible without spending the rest of her life running, and Kyra was done running from her problems. She shook her head, “No, you don’t understand. Thaletas will find me. He will hunt me down, killing everyone in his path to get to me. K-killing you…” The words almost wouldn’t escape Kyra’s throat before her eyes were tearing up and she choked at the mere thought of it. She held a hand to her mouth to stop herself from crying.

               Concern overshadowed doubt in that moment as Kassandra gently held Kyra to quell her anxiety, “Oh Kyra,” she softly whispered to her, tears starting to form in her own eyes, “don’t you know how devastated I, too, would be if anything happened to you?” Crying into Kassandra’s shoulder brought Kyra comfort as she laid her guilt bare to Kassandra, admitting everything: her connection to the Gambino family, Thaletas’s role as the leader and her boyfriend, the plot to spy on Kassandra, everything.

               Kassandra let Kyra crying for a little longer, simply listening and processing the information before pulling away and looking her in the eye. Her heart ached seeing this strong woman so broken. Kyra continued, now a little less hysterical, “Kassandra, I have a plan to get away from Thaletas, to get out of the mafia for good.” All her attention was focused towards whatever Kyra had to say, listening intently as she always did.

               After revealing what could possibly be described as a “risky operation”, Kassandra stared dumbstruck at Kyra. She shook her head, insisting, “No, I can’t do that.” This wasn’t something Kyra took lightly either, but she knew there really was no other way.

“Kassandra, I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think there was another option.” A frustrated sigh escaped Kassandra’s lips as she weighed the options. There were to many unknown factors in her plan. But looking at Kyra, Kassandra could see she was resigned to go through with it. There was no changing her stubborn mind. Kyra brought her forehead to rest against Kassandra’s. Even this slight contact made Kyra’s mind clearer than it had been in days. A smile, real smile formed on Kassandra’s lips, even if it was laced with sadness.

“Promise me you’ll be okay.” Kassandra’s tone was serious, imploring. Kyra couldn’t promise it, not in her heart, yet she whispered back, “Promise.”

Their hands laced together naturally and neither one seemed inclined to separate. For a moment they could pretend nothing was wrong. Yet Kassandra knew she would have to tell Kyra sooner or later.

“Kyra,” she started hesitantly, “there’s something I need to tell you.” Kyra looked up at her with worry at the tone of her voice. Kassandra looked towards the ground before she sighed, “There’s no other way to say this… the drug dealer who killed your mother, his name is Podarkes. He… he’s your father.” Kyra laughed unsettlingly, yet visibly pulled away at Kassandra’s words, “What sort of joke is this?” Shaking her head, Kassandra pulled out her case files, “This isn’t a joke.”

               The files Kassandra held in her hand revealed a testimony from her client, Otonia. It stated that she used to work for Kyra’s father Podarkes, who was a drug dealer. When Podarkes learned that Kyra’s mother wanted to separate from him, he ordered that she and Kyra be killed. Otonia distracted some of the bodyguards, allowing Kyra to escape, but could not save Kyra’s mother. As Kyra read through the statement, he emotions ranged from denial, to sadness, and finally rested on anger. Anger to which she momentarily directed towards Kassandra, “I will kill you where you stand!” Kassandra recoiled slightly, yet her expression was only that of sympathy. She watched as Kyra visibly deflated, the knowledge finally sinking in as she turned away from Kassandra, “This can’t be.” Reaching out slightly to comfort her, Kassandra voice her sorrow, “Kyra, I’m sorry.”

               Tears were once again visible in Kyra eyes as she explained, “He took everything from me.” She looked at the papers with visible pain, “Why tell me this? Why is she suddenly trying to find me now?”

“Otonia told me your father is dead. She was trying to find you so that you may attend his funeral if you wished.” A look of horror was directed at her words, the shock of what Kassandra told her now present on her conscience. Kyra looked away, attempting to process everything. Kassandra moved to console her once more, only to be stopped by despair-filled words, “Please, I need to be alone.”

               Kassandra nodded and made her way back to the office, leaving Kyra to grieve. The clouds overhead sensed Kyra’s mourning and darkened the perfect New York day, leaving Kyra feeling empty. The comfort she desired in that moment was but a ghost of a memory; her mother’s arms wrapped around her, telling her everything would be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all who stayed by this. I know I've got a lot of things left in the dark right now, but it will all make sense soon. Also, someone needs to give Kyra a hug, seriously. Disclaimer on that last scene, it was in the video game. Just thought I'd give you guys something familiar.


	11. Christmas Short

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short little fluff piece that came to mind as I was writing the next chapter. Happy Holidays everyone! (Note that this story does not follow the previous chapter or proceed the next one, only that it retains all the characteristics of the whole work, such as the detective/mob AU). Christmas season has kept me busy, so sorry for not posting in a while, the next chapter should be out before the new year.

               The fireplace flickered, providing the only source of light to the living area where Kassandra sat curled up on the plush loveseat with a mug of hot cocoa in her hands. She loved watching the flames lick at the wood and dance along to the festive Christmas music playing softly in the background. It wasn’t unlike most Christmas Eves she had previously spent, only this year there was a major differing factor.

“Alright, I’ve got my hot chocolate,” Kassandra snapped up her head to the approaching Kyra, who was cautiously carrying a mug attempting to avoid directly grasping its hot surface, “We’ve got popcorn, _How the Grinch Stole Christmas_ is ready… ah crap I forgot whipped cream.” She stopped, staring at the mug in her hands with a pout. Kassandra smiled affectionately and then gestured out to her to take the mug. Kyra flashed her a smile, handed her the mug, and then hurried back into the kitchen to fetch the canned whipped cream.

               This was the first Christmas they were spending together and Kassandra couldn’t believe how lucky she was. She had spent it alone for so long. Having someone else here reminded her of early Christmases she spent with her family before she was kicked out. She usually repressed that memory around this time of year, choosing to loathe its celebration and spend it buried in work. By some miracle Kyra had managed to convince Kassandra to spend the holiday with her, saying “no one should spend Christmas alone”. It was only after weeks of begging and bribery in the form of kisses that Kassandra finally agreed.

               After a while, Kyra finally found the whipped cream by digging through Kassandra’s fridge. She was sad when she learned that Kassandra didn’t usually celebrate Christmas. Even though Kyra herself grew up on the streets basically raised by thieves and pickpockets, they essentially became her family. Her Christmases were always rowdy gatherings of alcohol and late-night hijinks. When she joined up with the mob, the celebrations were more civilized in the sense of nice family dinners and simple gift exchanges. This way of Christmas she was spending with Kassandra, however, was the type of Christmas she remembered spending with her mom before she died. And she may have looked up ‘normal Christmas celebration’ just to be sure.

               She returned to the living room, raising the can triumphantly in the air to Kassandra, who chuckled lightly at her antics, “Are you ready now?”

“Nope.” Kyra replied. She plopped herself next to Kassandra, draped them with their shared fuzzy blanket, snuggled up to her girlfriend, and then turned to her with a smirk, “Now I’m ready.”

               Kyra planted a kiss on Kassandra’s cheek, producing a light blush in her cheeks. She hit play and both turned to watch the movie. As Kassandra watching the opening introductions roll across the screen, she admitted to herself that she was the happiest she’d ever been in her life at that given moment. Maybe there was something to this Christmas magic after all.


	12. Desire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! So we can all agree I'm bad with deadlines, but hey, what writer isn't?  
> I present to you the reason I have this story rated M. And by that I mean this is the smut chapter. Also, I'm not the best smut writer, so don't yell at me too much if it wasn't to your liking please. If smut isn't for you, don't worry, I have put a warning inside the story that separates the fluff from the smut. Also, if you wish, you could skip this whole chapter. The whole thing is basically just a reiteration of what we know so far. I just felt we needed a fluff/smut break from all the angst and plot. Now that I have properly wasted your time, assuming you actually do read these and don't just skip straight to the chapter, I will let you (hopefully) enjoy reading.

               The sound of her foot rapping against the tile flooring filled Kassandra’s ears. Kyra sat across from her in a booth in The Siren, her hands on either side of her face, her lips thinned, and her eyebrows creased in worry. Kassandra knew she was nervous and wanted nothing more than to ease her stress. So, she attempted to do so in the best way she knew how, albeit rather pathetically in her mind, “Are you perhaps uh,” she looked down to where Kyra had momentarily halted her foot tapping and then returned to look Kyra in the eye, “nervous?”

               To Kassandra’s relief, this prompted a small laugh and smile from Kyra, whose beautiful brown eyes expressed gratitude she had done nothing to deserve, “That obvious?” Kyra swallowed like expressing her feelings and making herself vulnerable to others was extremely difficult for her. As soon as the thought occurred to Kassandra, she realized it was probably the case, considering the environment in which she grew up. Kassandra herself had trouble with it at times as well. Despite her reservations, Kyra overcame her fear of opening up to people and allowed herself to be exposed to Kassandra emotionally, “Hating him was always easy. He was just the man who killed my mother. But Kassandra…” their eyes met with a connection of sympathy and pain, “am I supposed to feel obligated to love him simply because he’s my father?”

               Kassandra’s words spilled from her mouth before she could stop them, “No! That man never did anything for you Kyra. You are not obligated to do anything.” Kassandra didn’t realize she had reached out to take Kyra’s hand in her sudden outburst of emotion, “We are only human, Kyra. We cannot help the emotions we feel about people.”

               A blush formed on Kyra’s cheeks at Kassandra’s words, “No,” she said while looking at their hands. Kyra moved to entwine their fingers, looking up to meet Kassandra’s captivating hazel eyes, “I suppose we can’t.” The double meaning then dawned on Kassandra, causing a similar blush to creep up her neck.

               In attempt to change the subject, Kassandra suggested they go somewhere to get Kyra’s mind off things, which prompted Kyra to raise her eyebrow in a teasing suggestion of what “go somewhere” could imply.

“Uh, no- I mean, I wouldn’t be against it, I just… We… I just thought we could go get something to eat.”

               _Oh, I definitely know what I want to eat. Woah, Kyra! Down! Mind away from gutter. She’s trying to be sincere._ Kyra laughed a little, “The mighty Kassandra, caught off her guard!” Kassandra rubbed at her neck in a nervous gesture, to which Kyra reassured, “Relax. I’d love to go somewhere to get something to eat. Anything specific you had in mind?”

               Kyra could see Kassandra visibly relax with Kyra’s words, grinning with her next words, “I was thinking ice cream.”

               A short while later, the two exited a local ice cream parlor, a rocky road cup in Kassandra’s hand and a mint chocolate chip cone in Kyra’s. They strolled along the streets of New York, arms linked and huddled close together. Kassandra laughed when she noticed some mint chocolate chip on Kyra’s nose and moved to gently wipe it away. With every step the pair took, Kassandra could see Kyra visibly ease. Her heart swelled with the knowledge. So lost in thought, Kassandra didn’t take note of what she was doing.

 

*Smut begins*

 

               It wasn’t like Kyra was trying to notice, but it was hard not to. Not when Kassandra was licking the spoon like that. _This is ridiculous_ , Kyra thought to herself, _she’s just eating ice cream for God’s sake! Mind. Out. Of. Gutter. Kyra._

               It was only after Kassandra turned to Kyra to point something out to her did she realize Kyra was staring at her mouth. No, more like staring at her spoon. The pieces clicked together about what she suspected Kyra was thinking about. Suddenly, a very naughty idea popped into Kassandra’s head, once she couldn’t help but carry out.

               Kassandra scooped up a bit of ice cream, turned the spoon over, and flattened her tongue out to slowly lick up from the base to the top. She watched as Kyra’s eyes widened and followed the movement, her chest rising and falling notably faster. Kassandra couldn’t help the little smirk that pulled at her lips. She proceeded to clean the spoon of the remaining ice cream slowly, her eyes never leaving Kyra’s, whose eyes never left Kassandra’s mouth. Finally, Kassandra popped the spoon into her mouth, forcing Kyra out of her trance and causing her to meet Kassandra’s eyes. She winked and smiled cheekily at the woman in front of her, who was now blushing profusely at the knowledge she’d been caught staring. Feeling satisfied she had teasing Kyra long enough and feeling a bit aroused herself, she whispered lowly into her ear, “Wanna find somewhere a bit more… private?” Despite her blushing complexion, Kyra nodded and allowed herself to be dragged by Kassandra.

               They hailed a cab and piled in. After Kassandra directed the driver where to go, both the woman sat on opposite ends of the backseat, neither one daring to look at the other. The tension between them was almost palpable. Kassandra could hear Kyra’s heavy breathing. It was so intense in her ears she was sure even the driver could hear it too, despite the stereo providing a soft background. She tried to glance at his reaction in the rear-view mirror but found him unaffected by this atmosphere that was making it hard for Kassandra to breath. She chanced a glance at Kyra, who was laser-focused on the window on her side as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. She wondered if Kyra was nervous. She could understand why, though Kassandra felt she shouldn’t be; she didn’t have to do anything she didn’t want to. It was on impulse that Kassandra’s hand reached for Kyra’s. Startled, Kyra’s head whipped around to meet Kassandra. The raw emotion Kyra met caught her off guard. In those beautiful hazel eyes was a mix of understanding, lust, and tenderness all directed at her. Kyra felt exposed like she never had before. With one look, she knew everything would be okay. Her feelings were reciprocated and neither of them were going to regret crossing this line.

               The pair could feel a magnetic pull towards one another. Whether they were aware of it or not, their lips drifted closer with every second. Kyra moved for the final push when they heard an unsubtle cough from the front seat. Kassandra looked up and met the driver’s eyes in the mirror, who let them know they had arrived. After paying the cab driver, Kassandra led Kyra toward the elevator of her apartment complex. There was a gentleman in the elevator, who nodded politely to the two women before leaving them to enter the now empty elevator.

               As soon as the doors closed, Kassandra’s lips crashed with Kyra’s in a desperate frenzy. Kyra felt her back hit the elevator wall. She grasped at Kassandra’s shoulders, quickly trailing her hands to her muscular biceps. She wondered if Kassandra was strong enough to lift her. She didn’t doubt it, not with what she was feeling. As distracting as her biceps were, it was nothing compared to the party at her mouth. What began with clumsy bumps of teeth quickly escalated into a fast-paced dance of skill and passion. Kyra couldn’t help the moan that escaped her mouth at the pure _want_ she felt from this woman. Her hands were caressing the back of her thighs like she wanted to lift her but knew this may not be the right moment. Nonetheless, the movements were causing a delicious tingle in her back and all Kyra knew is that she wanted more. Of course, that had to be when they heard the sound letting them know they had arrived at their floor. The two separated like frightened cats, only to find the hallway to Kassandra’s room empty. Kassandra and Kyra shared a small moment of soft laughter, feeling silly. But there were more pressing things on Kassandra’s mind. She bit her bottom lip lightly and gestured out of the elevator, directing them to her decent one-bedroom apartment.

               The couple of steps it took Kassandra to reach her door and retrieve her key felt like the longest moments of her life. She could feel Kyra behind her, lightly running her fingers up and down Kassandra’s spine, producing shivers roaming from her back to her core. She was grateful that her trembling hands were finally able to open her apartment door. Breathing a sigh of relief, they rushed into the apartment. They weren’t two steps in before their lips were locked once again. Kassandra reached blindly behind her to close the door. Kassandra couldn’t get close enough to Kyra, couldn’t feel her properly. She needed a hard surface. She found purchase on the wall behind Kyra, essentially pining her to it with her hands on Kyra’s hips, not that Kyra was complaining. Kyra’s fingers weaved through Kassandra’s braid, pulling the detective closer to her. Her lips felt so good against Kassandra’s she felt she might never want to leave, yet she had to escape that luscious mouth in favor of air. Kassandra, however, could not get enough of Kyra. The smooth skin of her exposed neck called to her, begging to be kissed. Her lips against Kyra’s neck drew a gasp, one that was very appealing to Kassandra’s ears. She felt Kyra tip her head back against the wall to grant her greater freedom to please and Kassandra would not ask for a second invitation. Kassandra’s hand moved to her lower back, pulling her closer while her other moved to Kyra’s leg, grabbing it and guiding it to wrap around Kassandra, essentially pushing Kyra higher on the wall and allowing Kassandra greater access to Kyra. _Why did I think jeans was a good idea?_ Kyra thought to herself, silently cursing her fashion choice.

               Not that it seemed to stop Kassandra. Her new position allowed her to press her knee to Kyra’s core. The sudden pressure tore an unexpected moan from Kyra’s throat, a sound that made Kassandra smile into Kyra’s neck. Kyra’s hips began to rock against her knee of their own volition. Kassandra felt Kyra’s hot breathing against her ear, signifying her waning self-control.

“Bedroom.” Came Kyra’s breathy whisper into Kassandra’s ear. Like stoking a fire, Kassandra was reignited with a stronger vigor as she lifted Kyra, prompting her to wrap her legs around her waist. Kyra was pleasantly surprised with the action, producing a sharp, amused yelp from Kyra, who leaned down to resume kissing Kassandra.

               It wasn’t easy navigating her way to the bedroom, even if it was her apartment. Especially now that her eyes were closed and she was carrying someone. A few bumps into furniture and a couple giggles later, Kassandra made it into her bedroom to lay Kyra down gently. Kassandra noticed she and Kyra were still wearing way too many clothes. _Time to do something about that_. She reached for the hem of her own shirt to take it off when she felt Kyra’s hands over her own. Kassandra looked up, confused, thinking maybe this wasn’t what Kyra wanted after all, only to find a smile directed at her, “Allow me.”

               Confusion melted away at the realization of what Kyra really wanted. Kassandra nodded and waited for Kyra to proceed as she wished. Kyra’s warm hands slowly made their way under the fabric of Kassandra’s shirt, greeted by the twitch of her abdominal muscles. Kyra bit her lip, glad that her suspicions about what lay beneath were true. Her palms flattened out, feeling the delightful mix of soft and hard ridges under the shirt. Kassandra inhaled sharply, Kyra’s hands feeling like fire against her skin. Finally, blissfully, Kyra removed the shirt, exposing the black lacy bra that hid her beautiful bust. Her eyes clouding with lust, she began to reach for the clasp on the back to free them, only to be stopped by a soft but firm grip on her wrists. Kyra looked up, seeing that Kassandra’s eyes, too, were filled with a desire demanding to be satisfied. She moved to pin her hands above her head before turning her attention to Kyra’s shirt, to which Kassandra did not subject her to the same torture, instead choosing to raise the shirt and trail her lips over the newly exposed skin. Kyra kept her hands above her head, her body squirming slightly with the movement of Kassandra’s lips on her stomach. With the shirt gone, Kassandra turned to the jeans Kyra wore. She unbuttoned them and began to pull them down in series of tugs, leaving behind only her bra and her panties, which were a matching black set. Kassandra’s tongue poked out faintly to lick her bottom lip and then bite it at the sight of her. Kyra felt like she was being devoured with her eyes, causing a shiver to pulse through her at the anticipation of what was to come.

               Kassandra moved to remove her own bottoms. Kyra was pleasantly surprised to find that Kassandra wore boxer briefs, this pair black. _There’s no way this woman hasn’t modeled for Calvin Klein_ , Kyra thought as she took in the glorious sight that was Kassandra. Kassandra stalked toward Kyra with predatory movements. This prey, however, was more than willing to surrender and be devoured. Kassandra climbed atop Kyra and straddled her hips. Before continuing any further, Kassandra wanted to make sure there were no doubts, “Kyra, you’re sure?” Kyra’s heart swelled with the sweetness of the question that conveyed no judgement, just care and consideration. But Kyra knew her answer, knew in her heart what she really wanted. So, she nodded, “Yea, I am.”

               Kassandra smiled and then moved to flip Kyra onto her stomach to the mattress. Kyra felt Kassandra lay her body against hers, her lips meeting Kyra’s ear and pressing a light kiss to her earlobe. As she did, her fingers found the clasp of Kyra’s bra, freeing her chest from its lacy prison. Kyra sighed, as she always did when her bra was removed. She felt Kassandra’s fingers drag from her abdomen to her inner thighs, causing her pulse to increase and her breathing to intensify into long, hot breaths. Only one of her hands stayed at Kyra’s inner thigh while the other moved to softly trace the curve of her spine. The first movement to where Kyra wanted most came from her outside hand, which teased the fabric of Kyra’s soaked panties.

“Kyra…” Kassandra breathed, “you’re soaked.” Kyra’s breathing had now moved to quick, rapid gasps.

               A soft chuckle passed by Kyra’s ear followed by the whispered words, “Let me help with that.” The hand that had been resting on Kyra’s inner thigh now snaked into her panties, coming into sudden contact with her core and Kyra couldn’t help the involuntary “Oh!” that escaped her lips. Kassandra realized Kyra might be further along than she had originally assumed. This was fine for Kassandra; she had wanted this woman since she first laid eyes on her. She was barely restraining herself as it was. She made quick work of her underwear, tossing them to somewhere in her room, leaving the woman below her bare. She moved her knee in between Kyra’s legs to spread them open, to which Kyra respond by raising her backside from the bed slightly to allow easier access. Kassandra leaned forward so her front was flush against Kyra’s back and moved her hand to Kyra’s center. As two of her fingers slowly pushed through the soft, warm folds of Kyra’s core, a collective moan could be heard from both women in their own pleasures. Kassandra made sure Kyra was comfortable before continuing further. The thrusts increased in tempo as both women became more accommodated. Before long Kassandra’s arm began to ache a little and both women were breathing heavily. Kassandra’s name was uttered from Kyra’s lips on many occasions in tiny, soft gasps. Kassandra reached her other hand around to help guide Kyra to her finish. Her moans grew louder as she drew closer to her climax. Finally, Kyra gripped at the bedsheets below her and moaned a “Kassandra!” as she reached her point of bliss. Kassandra continued thrusting to help Kyra through her climax as wave after wave of pleasure hit Kyra. Sated, Kyra collapsed where she lay and Kassandra rolled off her.

               Kyra took a moment to calm her breathing. She turned to look at Kassandra, “Wow.” This elicited a laugh from the detective, “Yea, wow.” The pair gazed at each other, just admiring what they saw. There was an issue that was plaguing the back of Kassandra’s mind, however.

“Kyra… are you sure your plan will work?”

               Sighing, Kyra sat up and answered, “Yes, it has to. Thaletas hasn’t been able to hack the phone yet. But it’s only a matter of time and when he does, we need to be ready.” Kassandra nodded, “We’ll be as prepared as we can be.”

               Kyra smirked and turned to Kassandra, a playful gleam in her eye, “But uh, first…” She straddled Kassandra, leaning down to kiss her before pushing her hands above her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer on a few of the scenes. They are obviously quotes because I love the lines the actual game writers come up with. We love our stuttering nervous wreck of a lesbian and that dominant side of Kyra they so graciously provided us with (and you cannot convince me that a throat grab is anything but dominant). If you do not know what I'm talking about, I encourage you to play the game or at least watch YouTube videos featuring the Kassandra/Kyra relationship to find out. When we return, the plot continues. Until next time!


	13. The Funeral

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! This past month has really been getting to me. There's so much to be done! Anyway, we have returned to the angst and plot. I have settled on how I want to end this story. The final chapter is approaching. I'm hoping you guys are as excited as I am!

               Kassandra was on a high walking into her office building. Despite the uneasiness she felt about the future, the past 18 hours were some of the best in her life. Doing her best to repress a smile as she floated past Barnabas’s desk, she made her way into her private office. Barnabas just shot her a strange look. Kassandra had been mopey the past couple of days.

“Well you seem to be in a good mood.” He commented, going for obvious and direct, leaving it open enough to suggest Kassandra had a choice about answering yet insinuating that she had no other option but to provide a reason for the mood change. Needless to say, it wasn’t the first time Barnabas attempted to coax information out of Kassandra and she doubted it would be the last.

               Not wanting to get into details, Kassandra provided a vague but satisfying answer, “Talked to Kyra yesterday. We went over the plan and I’m feeling better about it. I think it can work Barnabas.”

               He nodded, “It has to.” His words were almost enough to spoil her mood ― almost. Moving forward with business, she asked him, “Did you get everything I asked for?” Barnabas nodded and then opened a box, “It was expensive, but it’ll be worth it.” Barnabas was worried for Kassandra. She reminded her of the daughter he once had; strong and capable. Since the day Kassandra saved Barnabas from a mugging by a group of thugs, Barnabas swore to be there for Kassandra every day following. He knew how Kassandra felt about Kyra, it wasn’t hard to see, but this plan Kyra had concocted did not call for what Kassandra had asked for.

“You didn’t tell her did you.” He phrased it as a statement, one that Kassandra couldn’t deny.

               Instead of answering, Kassandra simply said, “It’s a precaution Barnabas. I can’t take the risk that Kyra could get hurt. She would try to take it all on by herself if I told her.”

               Barnabas sighed but didn’t argue with her. He knew how stubborn she could be, he just wished there weren’t so many unknowns in Kyra’s plan.

“I was able to get ahold of Ilos. He said he’d be willing to help. Good kid.” Kassandra nodded, grateful that Barnabas wasn’t trying to fight her on this.

“Thank you, Barnabas. For everything.” The sudden statement of gratitude surprised Barnabas in its sentimentality. Rendered at a loss for words, Barnabas only nodded, responding, “You’re welcome.”

-

                It had been three days since Kyra last saw Kassandra. Their last encounter offered a way Kyra could avoid thinking about today: her father’s funeral. Just as Kyra predicted, Thaletas was able to hack into Kassandra’s phone. What he found shocked him, but not so much Kyra. On the phone were the case files Kassandra had been previously working with. It didn’t take Thaletas to figure out that Kyra was the mystery woman Kassandra had been looking for. Kyra’s deception mastery allowed her to effortlessly fake shock at hearing the findings from Thaletas. He insisted that she attend the funeral, mostly because he was excited at the prospect of making connections with friends of the late drug dealer.

                Now here she was standing in front of their full-length mirror dressed in a long, black dress, a simple black hat, and black heels. She wondered if she would cry, or even if she should cry. She thought she’d feel something when the man who killed her mother died, but she felt empty. Kyra knew revenge wouldn’t bring her mother back, yet she questioned whether mourning the loss of her father disrespected her mother’s memory in some way.

               Thaletas swung around the corner fixing his black tie, practically buzzing with excitement. Kyra felt irritated at how happy he was that they were going to her father’s funeral, that he was completely oblivious to Kyra’s feelings on the matter.

“Hey, baby can you fix this for me?” Kyra complied and helped Thaletas with his tie. He smiled at her and leaned in for a kiss. Her expression was stoic as he planted a quick kiss to her tightly closed mouth. Way too excited to question the odd behavior of his girlfriend, Thaletas checked his reflection in the mirror once more before telling her to be downstairs in ten minutes. He didn’t want them to be late. Kyra sighed. She reminded herself that it’d all be over soon.

               The car ride over to the funeral was filled once again with an excited Thaletas rambling about something Kyra didn’t want to listen to. He chattered on about the notorious reputation of Podarkes, who he basically revered for both his high status as a drug lord and his ruthless methods. Kassandra didn’t want to hear about what her father did nor how he did it. She didn’t want to talk about him at all. She wanted to get the whole affair out of the way.

               Upon arrival, they were led to a gathering in the ceremony where chairs were set up and many powerful looking men mingled among each other while the women stood idly by in their own group chatting. Kyra hated small talk.

               Thaletas leaned down and whispered to Kyra, “Go on and chat with the ladies. I’m going to make connections.” With that, he moved off to join the men’s conversation and leaving Kyra by her lonesome. She sighed and gathered herself before approaching the group of women who appeared to have already noticed her arrival. Kyra put up a confident façade, which was required in situations such as this. The first to greet her was a slender older woman dressed in black with bold red lipstick who conducted herself with pride.

“Hello, you must be Kyra, yes? Thaletas contacted me about attending the funeral. I’m so happy the two of you could make it.” She gave Kyra a smile but it was hard for Kyra to tell if it was real as the woman had obviously used Botox to make herself appear younger. Kyra returned the attempt at a smile with one of her own, careful to make sure all the indications of a real smile were present to seem sincere in her words, “We are elated to be in attendance. Although, I’m sure we’ve never met. May I ask how you know Podarkes?”

               The woman’s smile faded with her answer, “Podarkes was my son. Shame he didn’t get to live the life he was meant to.” Kyra’s eyes widened at her words, “So that means that…you…” She smiled once again, nodding.

“Yes dear, I am your grandmother. My name is Margaret.” She stepped forward to place both of her hands on either side of Kyra’s shoulders. She leaned in and kissed both Kyra’s cheeks in a formal greeting, “Welcome to the family.”

               Now that Kyra was really looking, she saw distinctive features from her own appearance such as her cat-like eyes and high cheekbones. She didn’t know how she felt about the woman, unsure whether she condoned her son’s actions or not. She never did get an answer as shortly thereafter Thaletas whisked Kyra away to take their seats for the ceremony.

               The whole event was somber and irritating. She saw tears from many of the women; some were even real. Kyra didn’t have it in her to cry. At some point during the ceremony Thaletas pulled Kyra close to him, but her unemotional demeanor produced a very awkward display from the two “lovebirds”. It was then that Kyra saw movement in the distance. It was very far away and she was surprised she even noticed it. In the tree line Kyra could make out a figure dressed in black. Looking around to make sure no one else noticed, she squinted to see if she could make out who it was.

               When she recognized who it was her heart skipped a beat. There, standing in the tree line dressed for the funeral was Kassandra with a sympathetic smile directed at Kyra. In that moment, Kyra knew she wasn’t alone. Kassandra was here, she understood. It was then that Kyra felt the stinging behind her eyes. She blinked and tears fell down her cheeks, which no one paid any mind to.

               After the service she and Thaletas headed back to the penthouse to change out of their black attire. A wave of relief washed over Kyra when she was finally able to take off her heels. She sat down on the bed, contemplating taking a nap and trying to forget this whole day. But then Thaletas entered, a mix of apprehension and excitement present in his features. Kyra was confused by this look.

“Kyra, if this day has taught me anything, it’s that life is short and every moment should be cherished while it can be.” Dread pooled in the pit of Kyra’s stomach, “Thaletas, what are you talking about?”

               He smiled softly, walking to stand in front of her, “I’m talking about us, Kyra. I want to cherish what I have with you right now.” He got onto one knee and Kyra’s eyes widened. _No._

“So, Kyra, I wanted to ask,” he reached into his pocket and pulled out a box, opening it to reveal a diamond ring, “will you marry me?”


End file.
